football recruiting

**d30fan** · 06-19-2008, 12:56 PM

In the past, Mac always seemed to land a few during camps and pick up the rest of his class late as untaken recruits options started to go away. I haven't heard much about who is coming to our camps. I don't recall anyone being verbaled at camp last year. Anyone close to the program know who is coming?

**Aclone** · 06-19-2008, 01:02 PM

Traditionally, we ahrdly have any commits until after camp--and last year Chizik didn't even really do that. I'm not complaining. This isn't a case where the race goes to the swiftest--it's quality, not immediacy that counts.

Another way to look at it, is that should we have a good season, say 8-4 or pulling a major upset or two, then that's all the more slots still open when more highly touted prospects turn their eyes to Cycloneland.

**clonesalltheway** · 06-19-2008, 01:03 PM

I think we got one player to commit at least, OT, one that was better than the Kansas OT, name escapes me at the time.

**jdoggivjc** · 06-19-2008, 01:05 PM

So we're starting THIS crap again...

**CyValley** · 06-19-2008, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by ISUguy

. . . Rip on Brewster's record on the field all you want to, but he can get kids to come to school.

Seems like Minnesota has some serious recruiting strengths:

1) History -- two or three national titles, numerous conference championships, bowl games. That is, a nice tradition, the trophy case looks good.

2) Only Div. I football program in a state of 5 million.

3) New football stadium abuilding.

4) Money -- 50,000 student enrollment (ranks 4th nationally among state universities), so a huge base of alums.

5) The Twin Cities -- Nice area for kids who like to mix a little night life with their academics and athletics. The Twin Cities metro area is a region of 2.9 million souls (a figure virtually identical to that of the entire state of Iowa).

(Hey, I had to look up some figures for this post. I knew UM had a huge enrollment, had no idea the Twin Cities region was so populous.)

**zdorr40** · 06-19-2008, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Bobber

The problem for him however was he couldn't keep the quality athletes coming in. Also some questionable game day calls...

I agree with the questionable game-day calls and the quality athletes, but only to a certain extent. The biggest difference I see (admittedly it's still very early in the process) is the offensive line. Is it because of McFarland vs Fine/Cotton, etc? Is it because of Sheppard? It just seems like in less than a year, OL went from our biggest glaring weakness to one of our strengths. IF this keeps happening good times have gotta be coming.

**DJK15** · 06-19-2008, 01:08 PM

I actually think Minnesota has around 5 national titles, maybe more. Granted, they were all in the 50's, but NT nonetheless.

**Tornado man** · 06-19-2008, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Aclone

Traditionally, we ahrdly have any commits until after camp--and last year Chizik didn't even really do that. I'm not complaining. This isn't a case where the race goes to the swiftest--it's quality, not immediacy that counts.

Another way to look at it, is that should we have a good season, say 8-4 or pulling a major upset or two, then that's all the more slots still open when more highly touted prospects turn their eyes to Cycloneland.

Mac had quality PLUS quantity come to his camps - he just didn't didn't enough of the "quality" prospects ultimately pick ISU.
It remains to be seen if Chizik can improve on that. I do know that his camp enrollment #'s are down significantly from what Mac had. Quantity is still very important - for any football program. A little thing called revenue...

**Bobber** · 06-19-2008, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by zdorr40

I agree with the questionable game-day calls and the quality athletes, but only to a certain extent. The biggest difference I see (admittedly it's still very early in the process) is the offensive line. Is it because of McFarland vs Fine/Cotton, etc? Is it because of Sheppard? It just seems like in less than a year, OL went from our biggest glaring weakness to one of our strengths. IF this keeps happening good times have gotta be coming.

Troy Davis, Darrin Davis, and Ennis Haywood got all those yards because of great offensive lines. Your talking to guy who remembers.

**Splendid** · 06-19-2008, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by zdorr40

I agree with the questionable game-day calls and the quality athletes, but only to a certain extent. The biggest difference I see (admittedly it's still very early in the process) is the offensive line. Is it because of McFarland vs Fine/Cotton, etc? Is it because of Sheppard? It just seems like in less than a year, OL went from our biggest glaring weakness to one of our strengths. IF this keeps happening good times have gotta be coming.

I agree completely. As the season went on the O Line seemed to play together as a unit and roll over people. No offsides, no holding calls just downhill football. The amazing thing to me is to hear the coaches talk, they are not even close to being satisfied.

**Wesley** · 06-19-2008, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

So we're starting THIS crap again...

Yep, it appears so. One is a lonely number. maybe we are trying to hide our diamonds in the rough till next year. You would think the regional recruits might number more than one.

**CyValley** · 06-19-2008, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by DJK15

I actually think Minnesota has around 5 national titles, maybe more. Granted, they were all in the 50's, but NT nonetheless.

Yeah, could be. Off the top of my head . . . Bernie Bierman (sp?) and his Golden Gophers maybe won three in the '30s and '40s? Didn't Murray Warmath win one in 1960 (eiu's lone loss that year, 27-10, in Minny)?

Don't know how many Big 10 titles the Goofers have won, must be a good number, maybe?

**GoSTATE71** · 06-19-2008, 01:21 PM

i have a good source and ill let u know right now iowa state's Dline and Oline are going to be very big and pretty athletic the next 3-4 years...

**Wesley** · 06-19-2008, 01:34 PM

Over the counter and legal steroids or milkshakes or the old fashioned weigh lifting iron?

And was that pretty or pretty athletic?

**Aclone** · 06-19-2008, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by GoSTATE71

i have a good source and ill let u know right now iowa state's Dline and Oline are going to be very big and pretty athletic the next 3-4 years...

3-4 years? That would take some doing, since the only three strongside ends have just one season left, and the only rush ends are both juniors.

Now, the tackles mostly have that much time on the clock--aside from Weir, Frere and Tate--the latter pair apparently with two years to burn.